What is an Industrial Computer?
An industrial computer is a type of computer that is designed and built for use in industrial environments, such as factories, warehouses and manufacturing plants. Industrial computers are typically rugged and durable, with features such as a wide operating temperature range, protection against dust and water ingress and resistance to vibration and shock. They are often used to control industrial machinery, monitor production processes and gather data from sensors and other devices.
Industrial computers can come in a variety of form factors, including motherboards, Panel PCs, Box PCs and DIN-rail computers. They can be used with a variety of operating systems, including real-time operating systems (RTOS) that are optimised for real-time control applications. Industrial computers can also support a range of communication and networking technologies, such as Ethernet, Wi-Fi and cellular, which allow them to connect to other devices and systems within an industrial environment.
Key Features of an Industrial Computer
- Long life time availabilities – typically, an industrial PC will be available for a minimum period of 3-5 years (sometimes up to 7 years) with a subsequent replacement model that will follow on behind it once the computer reaches its end of life for being purchased.
- Ruggedness and durability: Industrial computers are designed to withstand harsh and challenging environments, including high levels of vibration, dust and moisture.
- Wide operating temperature range: Industrial computers are typically designed to operate in a wide range of temperatures, allowing them to be used in a variety of industrial environments. For example, an industrial computer with a wide operating temperature range of -40°C to 85°C can be used in environments where the temperature may drop as low as -40°C or rise as high as 85°C.
- Protection against dust and water ingress: Industrial computers can be sealed to protect against dust and water ingress, ensuring they can continue to operate reliably even in dirty or wet conditions.
- Resistance to shock and vibration: Industrial computers are designed to be resistant to shock and vibration, allowing them to function reliably even in environments where there are high levels of mechanical stress.
- Industrial-grade hardware: Industrial computers often use industrial-grade components that are specifically designed for use in industrial environments. This includes processors, memory, storage and other components that are designed to withstand harsh conditions and are on long life availability programs.
- Industrial communication and networking capabilities: Industrial computers often support a range of communication and networking technologies, such as Ethernet, Wi-Fi and cellular, which allow them to connect to other devices and systems within their industrial environment.
- Real-time operating system (RTOS) support: Many industrial computers are designed to support real-time operating systems (RTOS), which are optimised for real-time control applications.
- Mounting and enclosure options: Industrial computers can come in a variety of form factors and may have different mounting and enclosure options, such as panel-mount, DIN-rail mount and VESA mount.
- Software and programming support: Industrial computers often support a range of software and programming languages that are commonly used in industrial applications, such as C, C++ and Python.
- Remote monitoring and management capabilities: Many industrial computers have built-in remote monitoring and management capabilities, which allow them to be monitored and managed remotely from a central location.
Industrial Computer Form Factors
Box PCs – A Box PC is a type of industrial computer that is encased in a protective enclosure or “box.” It’s typically rectangular in shape and is designed to be mounted in a variety of ways, including freestanding on a desktop, wall mounted via bracketry or via DIN rails. Box PCs are often used in applications where space is limited as they can be made compact, easily mountable in a small area.
Box PCs can be rugged and durable, with features such as a wide operating temperature range, protection against dust and water ingress and resistance to vibration and shock. They’re often used to control industrial machinery, monitor production processes and gather data from sensors and other devices. Box PCs can come with a variety of hardware components including processors, memory, storage and communication & networking capabilities, which can be customised to meet the needs of the application.
Panel PC – A Panel PC is a type of industrial computer that is designed to be mounted on a panel, wall or flat surface. They typically consist of a TFT display screen that is mounted within an enclosure (metal or plastic) that also integrates suitable industrial PC hardware components such as a processor, memory (RAM) and storage (HDD or SSD) to support the computers capabilities. Panel PCs are often used in applications where there is a need for a user interface (HMI), such as controlling and monitoring industrial machinery or for providing visual information to operators.
Panel PCs can also be rugged and durable, with features such as a wide operating temperature range, protection against dust and water ingress and resistance to vibration and shock. They can come with a variety of display sizes and resolutions and may support different touch screen technologies depending on the required user interaction for ease of use. Panel PC’s can be used with a variety of operating systems, including real-time operating systems (RTOS) and can support a range of communication and networking technologies, such as Ethernet, Wi-Fi and cellular connectivity.
DIN Rail PC – A DIN rail computer is a type of industrial computer that is designed to be mounted on a DIN rail. A DIN rail is a standardised metal rail that is commonly used in industrial control panels for mounting electrical and electronic equipment. DIN rail computers are often used in applications where space is limited
DIN rail computers can be designed so they are rugged and durable, with features such as a wide operating temperature range, protection against dust and water ingress and resistance to vibration and shock. They are often used to control industrial machinery, monitor production processes and gather data from sensors and other supporting devices. DIN rail computers come with a variety of hardware components, including processors, memory, storage and communication and networking capabilities, all of which can be customised to meet the needs of the application.
The Cost of Industrial Computers
Industrial PCs (IPC’s) generally cost more than commercial (consumer) PC’s due to the features and long-life time availabilities they offer. Industrial PCs are designed to be used in harsh and challenging environments, such as factories, warehouses, manufacturing plants – and because they can be manufactured to be rugged and durable, with features such as a wide operating temperature range, protection against dust and water ingress and resistance to vibration and shock – these features add to the cost of the IPC.
In addition, industrial PCs use industrial-grade hardware components that are specifically designed for use in industrial environments with long life time availabilities – including processors, memory, storage and other supporting components that are designed to withstand harsh conditions. Because of this, these components are more expensive than components used in commercial (consumer) PCs, which are typically designed for use in office or home environments.
However, it is worth noting that the cost of an industrial PC can vary depending on the specific features and specifications that it offers. Some industrial PCs may be more expensive than others due to the use of high specification components or the inclusion of additional features such as touch screen displays or specialised communication and networking capabilities.
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